Champions of the Environment Foundation NPC

Champions of the Environment Foundation NPC was formed in 2008 as an apolitical independent organisation driving ethics and climate justice, taking direction from the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) since 2015.

Our stakeholders include Private and Public Entities, Government Departments, International Philanthropic Foundations, donors, and Interested parties.

Vision: Over the next five years (2003 – 2027) Champions will create capacity and promote awareness of SDG 13 “Take Urgent Action to Combat Climate Change and its Impacts” to Traditional Leaders and communities in rural areas.

Optimising the natural carbon cycle, of indigenous plants and healthy ecosystems, SDG 13 is tactically reinforced by SDG 2.3 “double small holder food production and income” and SDG 7 “Affordable and Clean Energy.

Mission: Champions of the Environment Foundation (Champions) raises and disburses funds to protect biodiversity and build capacity in under resourced areas.

Focus Area(s) of Work

In under resourced provinces in South Africa, climate change is a poverty and development issue.  Champions of the Environment Women Farmers project (SDG2.3) acts as a catalyst for poverty release instead of relief by encouraging women growers to move away from subsistence to the more scientific method of permaculture/organic farming, thereby achieving food security, and improving nutrition in the community by practicing sustainable agriculture.

Method(s) Used to Achieve Objectives

Champions creates awareness of the benefits of climate adaptation by continually lobbing Traditional Leaders to build capacity in sustainable agriculture, granting women farmers secure tenure (historically only held by male members) and access to 1ha of land (Micro Farm). All agriculture development must adhere to the stringent environmental controls of critical biodiversity and ecological support. This is done by rehabilitating forests and natural ecosystems (planting indigenous trees and plants), promoting agroforestry (trees and crops not defined in rows and alleys), minimising soil erosion, and improving soil quality (composting).

Project(s)

Small-footprint farms are scientifically designed to protect critical biodiverse areas (CBD), mobilising rural communities to shift from the destructive behaviour of deforestation and subsistence farming to include alternative energy (SDG7) for agriculture. The benefit is reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and exposure to harmful household air pollution.

Champions of the Environment Women Farmers project:

Champions of the Environment Women Farmers project aims to empower women who constitute 53% of the population and head up 57.6% of households as well as reduce the youth unemployment from 82% in ORTDM (Transkei) to a number in line with the rest of South Africa. Each of the 120-farmers will own the commercial rights to 1ha of land (micro farm) and employ 1-youth per ¼ ha, creating 480 new jobs and 120 SMMEs. One economically active person impacts on a minimum of 5 people, (StatsSA) thus adding financial support to 3,000 lives for every 120 micro farms. This project is scalable, from 4-ha to 360-ha.  Research shows that 4ha of micro farms in 3 separate Admin Areas (12-ha) is optimal in creating an employment and food secure nucleus in the surrounding areas.

At present the community’s main food security strategy is purchasing food from urban markets (at a cost that is not sustainable). This is because most farmers cannot commit to a regular harvest due dry land agriculture, exacerbated by erratic rainfall.  One of the most promising avenues for small-scale farming is to adopt irrigated agriculture as set out in the Women Farmers project.

Investment opportunities are governed by Community Trust Documents giving comfort to investors and the community.  Historically the lack of infrastructure has been a deterrent to invest in the “Old Transkei”.  In today’s economic climate, alternative energy (solar, biomass and gas) sources provide good financial returns for the community and investors. 

• ORTDM is the 2^nd most populous area after Amatole accounting for 26.20% of the population and occupies 9.52% of provincial land.
• Smart grid technology allows for monitoring and data integrity when it comes to billing and collection for services rendered.
• Additional revenue streams include ecotourism, and the augmented markets interests include, the Sardine Run (June), the Wild Coast Hiking Trail (24,75km passing through 3-Admin Areas), birding, fishing and trail running (all year round), whale and dolphin boating (May to December) and require food, energy, and water security.

Directly incorporating adaptation and mitigation into agriculture development, planning, and investment strategies, the combined disciplines aid in generating income (improve crop yields), increase carbon sequestration and climate resilience by rehabilitating land, forests, and ecosystems.

• By owning the commercial rights to their farms will increase the number of employers and employees in the rural SMME space.
• Building sustainable infrastructure and homecoming opportunities enables people to return home to villages in rural areas.
• As part of a growing trend to encourage Agri and ecotourism in rural areas there are many elements of traditional farmer knowledge that, enriched by the latest scientific information, can support productive food systems through sound and sustainable soil, land, water, nutrient, and pest management, as well as the extensive use of composting and organic fertilisers.
• Directly incorporating adaptation and mitigation into agriculture development, planning, and investment strategies, the combined disciplines aid in land, habitat, and ecosystem rehabilitation, increasing carbon sequestration and climate resilience, creating release from poverty.
• Each woman farmer will have access to financial education, marketing support and supply chain management as part of the ongoing strategy of broadening the knowledge base of women and youth farming entrepreneurs.

Taking voluntary responsibility for our carbon emissions and offsets, investors and funders bring about positive change and reduce the impacts of climate change and food insecurity. The women farmers project offers a mechanism to accurately measure and monitor return on investment (ROI) and progress towards ESG, SMME, etc. objectives. 

These changes provide huge opportunities to modernize our infrastructure, creating new jobs and promoting greater prosperity across the globe.

Project Partner(s)

• Chiefs (Traditional Leaders) with jurisdiction of  lands more than 35,000 ha in the OR Tambo District Municipality in Eastern Cape with valid Trust Deeds.

Funding

• Donations: At present Champions does not have any medium or long-term funding partners.